Family and Social Services Administration

Who is affected: Current beneficiaries or future applicants for Indiana Medicaid in the aged, blind and disabled (ABD) categories?

Effective June 1, 2014, Indiana is changing the way Hoosiers will obtain Medicaid coverage in the aged, blind or disabled categories. Currently, when an individual applies for disability coverage, he or she is subjected to additional, more restrictive criteria by the state than the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires for its Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) programs.

After June 1, Indiana will automatically enroll individuals that the Social Security Administration determines eligible for Supplemental Security Income into Indiana Medicaid and will accept all SSA determinations of disability. This will eliminate the arduous and duplicative requirement that these aged, blind and disabled applicants also complete a second application and go through a second medical review process to be determined eligible for Indiana Medicaid with disability coverage.

The transition should result in significant net savings for the State of Indiana. It also eliminates an unpopular “spend down” program that has caused administrative burdens for providers and members. In addition, actions being taken to help current members maintain eligibility will result in more members receiving more comprehensive Medicaid coverage after the transition.

The resources below have been prepared to offer further information about Indiana’s transition and how Medicaid members will be impacted.